Nanoscale domain engineering in SrRuO3 thin films

We investigate nanoscale domain engineering via epitaxial coupling in a set of SrRuO3/PbTiO3/SrRuO3 heterostructures epitaxially grown on (110)o-oriented DyScO3 sub- strates. The SrRuO3 layer thickness is kept at 55 unit cells, whereas the PbTiO3 layer is grown to thicknesses of 23, 45 and 90 unit cells. Through a combination of atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction and high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy studies, we find that above a certain critical thickness of the ferroelectric layer, the large structural distortions associ- ated with the ferroelastic domains propagate through the top SrRuO3 layer, locally modifying the orientation of the orthorhombic SrRuO3 and creating a modulated structure that extends beyond the ferroelectric layer boundaries.